Residents of Kisumu stare at reduced water supply after water hyacinth, which has carpeted Lake Victoria started rotting, affecting a major source for the town’s supplier.
The Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company (Kiwasco) has warned of possible reduced pressure in pockets of the lakeside town as the stubborn water weed covering the Winam Gulf reaches old stage and is rotting away.
In a press released on Saturday, the Managing Director David Onyango said the company's abstraction point at Dunga beach had been affected, dealing a blow on the quality and quantity of supply.
"The water hyacinth has reached its old stage and it is now rotting and sinking. This is adversely affecting the raw water quality at our abstraction point, this has necessitated reduced production at our Dunga treatment plant which may lead to some areas receiving supply at low pressure than usual," Onyango said.
He added, however, that the company had improved treatment at their Kajulu plant, which draws water from Kibos River, to plug the shortfall caused by the negative effects of the dying water weed.
"We wish to assure our customers in the affected areas that water quality is not compromised," he said.
Affected areas include the Industrial Area, the Central Business District and Nyalenda, Milimani, Patel Flats estates.